Gas cock



Oct. 7, 1941. E. H.MUE| LER GAS 600K Filed May 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet `l INVENTOR.

Oct. 7, 1941. E H, MUELLER GAS COCK Filed May 25, 19'40 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m m @m H 1 n www m A 4 4 WU .Il x \o 5 5s u u ,1 .m J ,w ,ma

z la@ j, 45 15a' Patented Oct. 7,v 1941 i UNITED STATES PATENT -OFFICE GAS COCK 4.Ervin H. Mueller, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Application May 23, 1940, Serial No. 336,684

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a gas cock particularly adapted for use in the control o! the passage of gas to burners such as the burner of a gas stove.

The principal object oi the invention is to provide an improved valve construction, by means oi' which different volumes of gas may be supplied to the burner for high flames and low flames, as well also as for intermediate flames, wherein an adjustment is provided for regulating the low or intermediate flame and wherein diierent adjustments canbe made through the operating stem oi the valve.- It is unsatisfactory to provide, in a valve of this kind, a needle control valve operating upon screw-threads where the screw-threads constitute the only seal against gas leakage. In carrying out the objects of this invention, the control valve .for the low or simmer flame, or both, is arranged to have a definite valve type seat maintained under pressure to eectively seal the control member against gas leakage'.

It isalso an object of the invention to provide a hollow stem through which the control adiustment can be made and which also is fashioned to provide a. frictional engagement with the handle. v

Valves for carrying out the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. l is a longitudinal cross sectional View of one form of valve for carrying out the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the rotary valve member turned with respect to the illustra tion shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line Il-l of Fig. 1 showing the full on position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the "oi position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 showing the simmer position.

' Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line l-'I of Fig. 1 showing a simmer position and also illustrating the simmer control valve. l

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of another form of valve showing the `same in full on position.

Fig. 9 is an enlargedv side elevational view of the control valve for use with the form shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. l0 is a sectional view taken substantially on line Ill- I0 of Fig. 8` showing control washers.

Fig. ll is a sectional-view taken on line II-II of Fig. 8 showing the full on position.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 11 and 12 showing the intermediate position.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view similar to Figs. l1, 12 and 13 showing the simmer position.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line I5--I5 oi Fig. 14 and illustrating various passageways.

Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of the control valve for the gas cock shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 1'7 is an end view illustrating the stem formation.

Fig. 18 is a side elevational view also illustrating the stem formation.

As illustrated. in Fig. 1, the end of a mixing tube for a burner 'is illustrated at I having air openinge 2 which may be controlled by a rotary shutter` 3 in the usual fashion, and the valve has a jet 4 for the flow of gas into the mixing tube.

The valve or gas cock has a body 5 with a tapered chamber for a rotary valve member or plug 6 and an outlet passage 1. The body is closed by a cap 8 and the valve member I has a stem 9 extending through the cap and to which isl attached an operating handle I6. 'I'he valve body also has an inlet Il arranged to be associated with a suitable supply pipe or manifold.

. 'I'he -rotary valve member has an inlet passage I2 and a bore I3 while the stem is of hollow f in Fig. 2 and which opens into the hollow part I6. 'I'he portion I6 opens into the bore I3. Spring I9 holds the rotary valve on its seat.

A control valve is positioned for operating adjustment in the stem and it has a hollow or shelllike cylindrical part 20 which is located in the part I6, a shoulder 2| which seats on the shoulder I4; and it is held in position by a small coil spring 22 backed by a screw-threaded nut or plug 23. The plug 23 has an opening therethrough and through which the stem 24 of the control valve extends. 'Ihe plug 23 is suitably formed as at 26 for the reception of a turning tool. while the stem 24 is provided with a notch or the like as at 25 for the reception of a turning tool. The hollow portion 20 is provided with a port 2l arranged to register with the passage I5.

'I'he valve is shown in oii position in Fig. 5 with the passage I2 and entrance II of passage I5 is disaligned from the inlet II. By turning the rotary member about counter-clockwise to the Fig. 4 position, the valve is in full on" position. By turning the rotary member further las is desired to obtain the proper name at the burner.

Suitable means may be provided for aiding in ascertaining the positions, and the means shown is of the type disclosed in application Serial No. 281,136, filed June 26, 1939.` Brieiiy, this means resides in a piece of metal bent upon itself to provide a bight portion keyed to the housing and having two overlying parts or diaphragms 3| and 32 between which a washer 33 is disposed and which is rotatable with the stem as by means of the D formation interiit as shown in Fig. 3 and which has a projection 34. In ofi position projection 34 abuts against shoulder 35 of the valve body. In full on position the projection 34 meets resistance by engaging depressed portions 35 in the washers which restrict the space in which the projection 34 moves. Additional turning torque causes the projection 34 to spread the Vdiaphragms 3| and 32, and in the slmmer position the projection 34 strikes the shoulder 36 on the housing.

The stem is of hollow formation as shown, said formation extending through the extreme 'end thereof, as indicated in Fig. 17, and it is of D formation for non-rotatably receiving the handle which has a recess of similar D shape. 'I'he stem, due toits hollow formation and D formation, is weakened somewhat, particularly when slotted for the purpose of yieldingly engaging the recess in the stem. To meet this situation it is slotted as at 40 at an angle, leaving a relatively small segment 4| and a relatively large segment 42 at the extreme end of the stem, but the angle being such that the portion carrying the small segment 4| has a substantial body of metal at its base as shown in Fig. 18. 'I'hus the two portions divided by the slot are of similar strength at their bases while the smaller end portion at 4| more readily iexes for the compression incident toits reception in the handle recess.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 to 15, many of the parts are the same and bear the same reference characters. This is true particularly as to the body of the valve. In this form, however, high, intermediate and low gas volumes may be provided. The plug has a main gas passageway |2a, a simmer gas passage |5a with its enlarged opening lla. and in addition thereto has a third or intermediate passage 45 opening to the exterior of the plug with an enlarged entrance 46. As shown in Fig. 15 the passage 45 may be drilled directly into the chamber |6a, while the simmer passage comprises two drilled passageways, one being the above described |5a and the other being the intersecint |5b. This is done in order to place the openings of these passages in diil'erent axial positions as shown in Fig. 8. The drilling for the passage 15a may be left open as it is closed by the seat in the valve chamber.

The control valve is of the same character as the one previously described having a stem 24a, a collar 2|a, and a shell-like part 20a, with a simmer port 21a and an intermediate port 50. The ports 21a and 50 are arranged to register with the passages |5a and 45, as shown in Fig.

15. In the off position the parts are relatively located as shown in Fig. 12. The full on" position is illustrated in Fig. 11 where the passage |2a registers with the inlet The intermediate position as shown in Fig. 13 where,l due to the enlarged entrances |'|a and 46, both passages |5a and 45 register with the inlet for the passage of gas therethrough. The simmer position is shown in Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. l5, the ports 21a and 50 are in substantial complete registry with the passages |5a and 45. By turning the control valve on its axis the simmer and intermediate passageways may be choked or controlled by partial registry to a suitable degree. The port 21a is smaller so that it is more sensitive to the adjustment. The adjustment of the control valve member is preferably made when the cock is in simmer position as shown in Fig. 14 in order to get the desired simmer flame. This, of course, also varies the llame in the intermediate position since the gas in intermediate position passes through both the ports 21a and 50. But since port 50 is larger the simmer port 21a may choke oil the simmer ilow without affecting, to such a great extent, the intermediate flow through passage 45 and port 50. The valve 20a is held on its seat by spring 22 threaded in plug 23 in the same manner as the control valve shown in Fig. l.

This valve may also be used with means for indicating its position, and such a means is shown in Figs. 8 and 10. A washer-like member 6D is keyed to the body as at 6|, the body having stops 62 and 63. Spring I 9 reacts on this washer through a second washer 64, thence to the cap. 'I'he second washer 64 turns with the stem by reason of the intertting D formation, and it has a projection 65. A washer 66 may be used which is keyed to the body as at 61 so that the turning of the washer 65 does not tend to unscrew the cap 8. 'Ihe two washers are formed with recesses and projections 10 and 1| which engage under the action of the spring I9 but which are disengaged as the handle is turned. In "ofP position the projection 65 abuts the shoulder 63. In the full on position, as shown in Fig. 10, projections 1| are seated in the underlying recesses 'I0 (not shown) in the washer 60. In the intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 13, the projections are seated in the recesses 10 illustrated in Fig. 10, while in simmer position the washer 65 abuts the shoulder 62.

In both forms of the invention it will be noted that the adjustable control member for the simmer flow of gas, or for the simmer and intermediate iiow of gas, is not only located in the stem, but is rotatably adjustablev and not longitudinally adjustable. The iit of the shell-like portion in the openings |6 and |6a does not necessarily need to provide the requisite seal against gas leakageas a positive seal under pressure is provided by the engagement of the shoulder or collet 2| against the seat or shoulder |4. The gas stoves of the present time are quite generally constructed to conceal the valves and may include such parts as the panel 15 as shown in Fig. 1, through which the stem extends. But adjustment can easily -be made by slipping oil' the handle |0 and inserting a tool, such as a screw driver, into the stem to turn the control valve. Once this adjustment is properly made it may be maintained for an indefinite period, since the control valve normally turns with the main rotary plug valve.

" I claim:

1. A gas cock comprising, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatably seated in the body having a main gas passage arranged to open and close the valve by rotary movements of the valve member, an operating stem for the valve member, said stem being of hollow formation and said hollow formation having a reduced section dened by an internal shoulder in the stem, the hollow formation communicating with the main gas passage, said valve member having a second and smaller gas passagev adapted to be registered with the inlet and leading to saidreduced section,.a rotary control valve having a hollow part positioned in the reduced section and which hollowgpart communicates with the main gas passageway, said hollow part having a port for registering with the second gas passageway, the control valve member having a shoulder seating upon the internal shoulder in the stem providing a seal againstescape of gas, and means for maintaining the seated relationship of the shoulder on the control valve member against the internal shoulder in the stem, said control member being arranged to be rotatably.

adjusted by access thereto through the hollow stem to vary the degree of registration of its port with the second named inlet passage.

2. A gas cock comprising, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a rotary valve member seated in the body having a main gas passageway for establishing a connection between the inletl and outlet of the body, said rotary valve member having a hollow stem and having a chamber leading from the hollow portion of the stem, and connecting with the outlet, said valve member having a second and smaller gas passageway for selective registration with the inlet and extending to said chamber, the valve member having an internal shoulder in its hollow stem portion, a control valve positioned in the hollow stem and having a part rotatably disposed in said chamber, said part having a port for registration with the second passageway and the control valve member being rotatable to govern the eiective size of the second passageway, a shoulder on the control valve member, and means for seating said shoul- Y der against said internal shoulder to seal against gas leakage.

3. A gas cock comprising, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a rotary valve member seated in the body having a main passage for establishing a communication between the inlet and outlet, said valve member having a hollow operating stem, a chamber between the hollow portion of the stem-and the main gas passageway, a second and smaller gas passageway in the valve member for selective registration with the inlet and extending to 'said chamber, a control valve having a part rotatably positioned in said chamber and having a stem disposed in the said hollow stem and accessible for rotatable adjustment of the control valve, said control valve having a passageway including a port for registration with the second named gas passageway, there being an internal shoulder in the valve member located at the division line between the hollow portion of the stem and the chamber, said control valve member having a shoulder for seating upon said internal shoulder to provide a gas seal, a spring in the stem around the control valve stem and a plug screw-threaded in the hollow stem for backing up the spring and through which the stem of the control valve extends.

4. A gas cock comprising, a valve body having an inlet at its side and an outlet at its end, a valve member rotatably seated in the valve body having an inlet passage for selective registration with the inlet and a communicating bore which communicates with the outlet, said valve member having an axially extending hollow stem with a cylindrical-like chamber connecting the hollow portion of the stem with said bore, said valve member having a second and smaller passage for selective communication with the inlet and which extends to the said chamber, an internal shoulder between the cylinder-like chamber and the hollow portion of the stem, a control valve having a hollow portion rotatably positioned in said chamber and having a port for registration with the second gas passageway, said control valve also having a shoulder for seating on the said internal shoulder and an operating stem extending into the hollow stem of the rotary valve, a plug in the hollow stem through which the control valve stem extends and a. spring positioned between the plug and the control valve for seating said shoulder on the said internal shoulder to provide a gas seal.

5. In a valve having a main gas passageway for a large flow of gas and another gas passageway for a smaller flow oi gas, said other gas passageway including a cylindrical-like chamber defined at one end by a shoulder and into the side of which a gas passageway communicates, a control valve `having a hollow cylindrical-like part rotatably positioned in said chamber and having a port for registration with the passageway and being rotatable to vary the degree of registration, a shoulder on the control valve and a spring acting upon the control valve to seat the shoulder thereof against the shoulder at the end of the chamber to provide a gas seal.

6. A gas cock comprising, a body having an inletv and an outlet and a. rotary valve member seated therein having a main gas passageway for establishing a communication between the inlet and outlet, said valve member having a hollow stem, and said valve member having a substantially cylindrical chamber connecting the hollow stem with the main gas passageway, said valve member having two other inlet passages for registration with the valve body inlet in diil'erent positions of the rotary valve member and both of which lead to said chamber at different axiallocations, a hollow control valve rotatably positioned in said chamber, there being a shoulder between the chamber and the hollow portion of the stem, said control valve having a shoulder, spring means for causing said shoulders to seat upon each other to provide a gas seal, the hollow portion of the control valve having two ports for registration with the said two inlet passages and said control valve member being rotatably adjustable vto vary the registration of said ports with said inlet passages.

7. A gas Icock comprising, a body having an inlet and an outlet and a rotary valve member seated therein having a main gas passageway for establishing a communication between the inlet and outlet, said valve member having a hollow stem, and said valve member having a substantially cylindrical chamber connecting the hollow stem with the main gas passageway, said valve member having two other inlet passages for registration with the valve body inlet in diilerent positions of the rotary valve member and both of which lead to said chamber at diierent axial locations, a hollow control valve rotatably positioned in said chamber, there being a shoulder between the chamber and the hollow portion of the stem, said control valve having a shoulder. spring means for causing said shoulders to seat upon each other to provide a gas seal, the hollow portion or the control valve having two ports for registration with the said two inlet passages. one of said ports being relatively large and the other relatively small, and said control valve member being rotatably adjustable whereby the desree of registration of the small port with its respective passage is more sensitive to adjustment than the ERVIN H. MUELLER.

s large port. 

